EARLY TRIO: a set of Es well written-up on pages inc. a 1712 partial wrapper with a fine Straight-Line "MANCHESTER" 2nd hs M6 & "NO/16" Bishop Mark; a 1717 wrapper to "Leverpoole/by Warrington bag"; and a 1717 wrapper with a fine unrecorded two-line "MANCH/ESTER". (Image)

c.1742-1799 PRE-STAMP MAIL: All different mounted on well written up pages detailing rates & routes inc. a 1772 EL with a fine unrecorded two-line "MAN/CHESTER" hs on back; a 1784 EL with two-line "MANCHES/TER" movable type hs's; a 1796 EL with a faint horseshoe "MANCHESTER" hs on on front addressed to the "Parliamt. Street Coffee House"; a 1799 EL to Bozen (now Bolzano) charged 1/8d (1/7d postage + 1d for the Channel crossing) with a new s/l "MANCHESTER" & experimental red paid mark on front and red Foreign Office strike on reverse; plus 12 other ELs with various sized & styled namestamps, and 1 with a Partington Bishop's mark on reverse. A useful study in mixed condition. (17 + 2 on piece) (Image)

1800-1839 PRE-STAMP MAIL: A box file containing a display of E & ELs mounted on well written-up pages detailing rates & routes with various "MANCHESTER/185" and "PAID" marks inc. an 1802 E with a "183/MANCHESTER/OCT 8 02" on the reverse - 2 miles short (an unrecorded error?); an EL to Sheffield with an M58 datestamp on reverse dated 1805 but only recorded used in 1803 (forgery?); a mainly fine M64 "MANCHESTER/2 DE 2/1813/185" in green ink (only used for a short period during this year); an 1827 EL with what appears to be a KGII crown inspector's mark, supposedly replaced in 1760; an 1833 duplicate letter sent privately from "Buenos Ayres" and charged 11d on arrival in the UK; an 1835 EL (stained) with a small redv unframed "TOO LATE/N P" (M108, recorded used 1834-7); an 1839 two sheet letter sent to Bergamo - the sender paid 2/4d (double?) and charged a further 38 decimes on arrival; plus others in good condition with mainly fine markings, and several pages outlining aspects of Manchester postal history. (30 mounted, 15 loose) (Image)